Great Start Readiness Program

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is Michigan’s state-funded preschool for four-year-old children. Families qualify for free preschool based on annual income guidelines. The program is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and administered by Wayne RESA. Class size is limited to 16 students, and classes meet for full school days four days a week (M-Th). The program provides educational, health, social work, mental health and parent involvement services.

Information About Dearborn Public Schools Great Start Readiness Program:

Dearborn Public Schools Great Start  Readiness Program provides a high quality early learning experience for four-year-old students.  We are committed to serving the district’s youngest learners and respect and value our partnership with families and the community.

To be eligible, children must turn 4 years old by September 1.  Most families will know by mid-June if they were accepted into the program. If spaces are still available, the district will accept children who will turn 4 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1.  Applications for those students will be taken in late August.

The recruitment, eligibility and selection of children for the district’s GSRP program is an ongoing process throughout the school year.  As classes are filled to capacity, prioritization continues to be based on families having the most identifiable needs by established criteria. Consideration is taken as to how the eligibility factors can impact the child’s development or future educational success.  Application to the program does not imply acceptance.  A waitlist is created by the above prioritization process, and vacancies will be filled from the waiting list.

Dearborn Public Schools pre-kindergarten classroom curriculum is aligned with the National Early Childhood Standards and Michigan State Board of Education, Early Childhood Standards of Quality. To ensure fidelity to the standards, the early childhood programs are monitored through an inclusive and collaborative approach. The building principal monitors teaching and learning through the prekindergarten classroom visitation system, teacher evaluation, weekly collaboration, Professional Learning Communities, student assessments (Child Observation Record), and through a formalized process, the Program Quality Assessment.

Documentation Needed for Application Process

For an application, please contact Cotter School at 313-827-6150.

  • Child must be four (4) years old by December 1st, of the year he/she begins school. Priority is given to students who will turn four years old by September 1, of the year the child begins GSRP.
  • Completed Application Form
  • Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Income (1040 tax form, 3 recent pay stubs, W2)
  • The child’s parents or guardians must reside in Dearborn (Deed or Lease Agreement and current DTE bill)
  •  Family Interview
  •  Assessment of Child

Who qualifies?

In addition to the age requirement, priority will be given to student who meet one of the GSRP Eligibility Factors.

The seven program eligibility factors used to determine GSRP eligibility are:

  • Low to moderate family income
  • Environmental risk
  • Diagnosed disability or identified developmental delay
  • Severe or challenging behavior
  • Primary home language other than English
  • Parent(s) with low educational attainment
  • Abuse/neglect of child or parent

GSRP Site Locations

  • Becker Elementary
  • Cotter Early Childhood Center
  • DuVall Elementary
  • Geer Park Elementary
  • Henry Ford Elementary
  • Long Elementary
  • Lowrey School
  • McCollough Elementary
  • McDonald Elementary
  • Oakman Elementary
  • River Oaks Elementary
  • Salina Intermediate & Elementary
  • Snow Elementary
  • Whitmore-Bolles Elementary
  • William Ford Elementary

* Please note, we will do our best to provide the most appropriate placement, but placement is not guaranteed.